Service tray



W. H. LAUGHLIN SERVICE TRAY Filed March 5. 1924 40 Z IE- 22 20 m'hk o 4 6' lnuerz for W 31765 32 30 6 33% 3 .3 wzzzwmflzw zzm, @AM Gimme?! Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SERVICE TRAY.

Application filed March 5, 1924. Serial No. 696,994.

My invention relates to service trays and my object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and neat appearing device of this character which may be employed to advantage by dispensers of ice cream and soft drinks in serving auto and other parties.

The tray embodies a wire basket with a wire top divided into compartments. for glasses, ice cream cones, spoons, napkins and the like, so that said articles may be safely carried without danger of being dropped or broken.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the tray.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line IIII of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a tray consisting of a wire basket 2, comprising longitudinal strands 4, transverse strands 6, and a rectangular-frame 8 to which said strands 4 and 6, respectively, are connected. The longitudinal strands 4 are bent down wardly at the ends of the basket to form feet 9, which hold the bottom of the basket above a table or other support upon which the tray may be placed.

10 designates a wire top embodying a rectangular frame 12 which rests upon the frame 8 of the basket 2. Said wire top 10 also embodies a plurality of oppositely-dis posed large rings 14 and small rings 16 held in spaced relation to each other by relatively long stay wires 18.

The rings 14 and 16 are secured. to the frame 12 by relatively long stay wires 20 and 22, respectively, which also engage around the frame 8 and thus reliably secure the wire top 10 in place upon the basket 2.

24 designates a handle made, preferably, from one piece of wire formed into a coil 26 and ashank 28, which latter is divided at its lower portion into oppositely extended foot portions 30, which rest on the basket bottom and terminate in eves 32 through which bolts 34 are placed. The lower portions of the bolts 34 extend through a plate 36. and on being tightened, draw the foot portions and said plate 36 firmly against the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the basket bottom.

Compartments '38 are formed at the ends of the tray by the adjacent rings 14, the stays 20 and the frame 12, whilecompartments 40 are formed at the corners of the tray by the frame 12, the adjacent rings 14 and the adjacent stays 20.

In practice the large rings 14 cooperate With the bottom of the basket in supporting glasses, bottles and the like, while the small rings 16 cooperate with the bottom of the basket in holding ice cream cones. The compartments 38 may be utilized to advantage for holding paper napkins or the like, while the compartments 40 may be used for holding spoons.

For the purpose of shipment the handle 24 may be removed and placed within the a tray, for the purpose of conserving space.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a tray embodying the advantages above pointed out, and while I have shown and described the preferred form of the invention, I reserve the right to make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is:

A tray consisting of a basket. a top to said basket comprising a rectangular frame fitting upon the upper margin of said basket. a plurality of large rings spaced apart and inwardly from said frame. a plurality of small rings spaced apart and arranged in the spaces between said large rings, relatively long stays for holding the rings in spaced relation to each other. and other stays for connecting the large rings to said rectangular frame and coacting with a number of said large rings in forming corner compartments; and a handle having its shank extending down between two large and two small rings and secured to the bottom of the basket.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

' WILLIAM H. LAUGHLIN, 

